Chisinau

Don’t like to follow the crowd? Do you have a spirit of adventure and a taste for the simple things in life? Do you enjoy being surrounded by nature, without being cut off? Dare to visit Chisinau! The Moldovan capital is resolutely off the beaten tourist track. A subtle mixture of Russian and Romanian, with Slavic and Latin influences, bearing the imprint of the Soviet era, the city has a unique personality and contagious vitality.

And yet, there is nothing overtly showy about it. Quite the opposite! The only excessive aspect of this city is the good humour of those who live there. Its wealth lies in its authenticity, its human size - which makes it so pleasant to visit - and its laid-back lifestyle when, as soon as the warmer weather arrives, couples stroll hand in hand through the parks and gardens that cover over half its surface area.

This ocean of greenery is an invitation to look beyond the city: take advantage of your stay to discover the Moldovan countryside, its beautiful old monasteries and, above all, its vineyards, one of Europe’s lesser-known gems. Not many people know that Moldova has been producing fine wines for centuries, with often excellent results. Its high-quality production is partly due to the ageing process: its wines are aged in cellars carved out of the rock and stretching over dozens and dozens of kilometres. An underground world devoted to Bacchus, a source of amazement for wine experts and anyone who simply enjoys a glass of fine wine.

• Get a feel for the city by walking up Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, the main thoroughfare, to the park of the same name, the city’s most stunning, with its large fountain, wrought iron gates, and pathway lined with bronze statues of 25 major authors.
• Still on Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, don’t miss Nativity Cathedral and the "Victory Arch", located just next to it. After the tribulations of the Soviet era, this Orthodox church was restored to its former glory. Even its bell tower, destroyed in a single night in 1962, was rebuilt.
• Step through the doors of a museum... Which one do we recommend? The Museum of the City of Chisinau, housed in a former water tower. The National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, for its Moorish building, its impressive collections and its deinotherium skeleton, an ancestor of the elephant.
• Are you a fan of poetry and authors who have left their mark on history? Visit the Pushkin Museum. It is housed in the building where the famous Russian poet lived for several months in 1820, during his three-year exile. Decorative art from that time, as well as the poet’s personal belongings. A moving experience.
• Do your shopping the way the locals do at Piata Centrala, the city's most famous market. It is huge, and boasts a unique atmosphere. You’ll find everything here, from cheese to traditional clothing. But look out for pickpockets!
• Take a stroll along Eugen Doga Street, behind Nativity Cathedral. It is the city’s only pedestrian street. It is also a romantic hot spot! Couples come here to touch the sculpture of lovers or ask for each other’s hand in marriage, hoping for a touch of magic and good fortune.
• In the summer months, take a dip in the lakes in Valea Trandafirilor and Valea Morilor parks. These large areas of greenery are also a perfect setting in which to take a walk. Not to be missed: the Valea Morilor terraced garden stretching down towards the blue waters of the lake. Stunning!
• Try out Moldovan cuisine, with its truly local roots. Its delicious typical dishes include chiperi umpluți (stuffed peppers), mămăligă (a type of porridge), pelmeni and vareniki (dumplings containing meat, vegetables or fruit) and clatite (crepes with a sweet or savoury filling).
• Head out of Chisinau to discover the Moldovan countryside and its centuries-old monasteries. Well worth a visit: Capriana for the beauty of its ornamentation, Tipova, an incredible cave monastery, Hîncu, a hidden gem tucked away in nature.
• All around Chisinau, discover Moldova’s finest vineyards, once a firm favourite with Russian Tsars. The vines are not just beautiful to look at, they also produce some delicious wines, which you can taste in the underground cellars in Cricova, Mileştii Mici and Brăneşti, stretching over dozens of kilometres.